Question
received a rose bush from J&P roses bare root planted it per the instructions in a pot about eight weeks ago the plant while green on the stalks at the top are not beaaring any leaves yet help me please. water, fertilzer ??

Answer
Rose nurseries usually dig their roses in the fall and then store them in cold storage (just above freezing) as most people want roses in the spring. When you order a rose from the nursery, they take it out of the cold and send it to you. Because the rose has been totally dormant it does take about two weeks for the rose to wake up. But by eight weeks your rose should be showing lots of leaves and even new canes. Although the outside covering of the canes is green, I think the inside is dead. Cut one of the rose canes down a couple of inches and see if the inside is brownish. The colour of a live rose is pale green like the inside of a green apple. If there is any discoloration, then the rose was dead before you got it. You are entitled to ask for another or a refund.